Once a New Yorker, Always a New Yorker

I remember the day I got my tattoo the artist chuckled when I told him I wanted a tattoo of New York State. "You've got that much pride, huh?" he asked oblivious to the pride that comes with being from the Empire State. I've been a resident of the state of New Hampshire for over a year now but my car still proudly displays New York State licence plates and I still define myself as a New Yorker. Unlike Elsa, I just can't let it go.

As a college student, I've met people from many states - mostly Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, and Maine - but no one seems to have the bursting pride that fellow New Yorkers have. Sure, people from Massachusetts say they love their state (although I don't know why) but not to the degree that New Yorkers do. When I drive home I happily blast "Welcome to New York" or "Empire State of Mind" as I cross the NY border and I'm overcome with a sense of pride accompanied by the chills. The "Welcome to New York" sign  will always read "Welcome Home" to me.

Don't get me wrong, I love New Hampshire but there are days where I'm actually pretty bitter towards my new home. I get annoyed that construction on one stretch of the road takes years (is that bridge ever going to get done?!), angered when I see redneck trucks driving down the road blasting bro country, and enraged when everyone and anyone hates on the Yankees. Mostly, I feel like the odd one out. Growing up in New York gives you a different mentality. You learn to walk fast, be independent, and mind your own business. No one thinks twice about having these qualities in New York but in New Hampshire if you have these qualities you are seen as "stuck up" and "better than everyone else."

There are days where for a moment, I wonder why I left New York. It's hard living in a place where no one understands where you came from. But as quick as those self-doubting thoughts come they are replaced by reassuring ones - ones that remind me how living in New Hampshire was my dream. I have really established a place for myself here and I really do feel like I'm making a name for myself. New Hampshire is my new home and while I am still getting used to the ways of this new world, I don't think I'll ever let the New Yorker part of my identity go. Once a New Yorker, always a New Yorker.

Songs that got me through...

...a time of confusion: "Paradise" by Coldplay

...a time when I needed a push: "Never Be Ready" by Mat Kearney

...a time when I realized the truth about a certain boy: "You're Not Sorry" by Taylor Swift

...a time of separation from a loved one: "Highway Don't Care" by Tim McGraw feat. Taylor Swift

...a time of realizing what a terrible person my ex best friend is: "Mean" by Taylor Swift

...a time of rising above a group of jealous haters: "Thank You" by MKTO

...a time of freeing myself from toxic people: "Release You" by Megan and Liz

...a time of  fear and anxiety: "Let It Go" by Idina Menzel

...a time of homesickness: "Simple Life" by Megan and Liz

What songs got you through hard times? Let me know :)

LDRs: The Real Deal

We've all heard the saying, "absence makes the heart grow fonder" but when it comes to long distance relationships, that absence comes with a myriad of emotions. These emotions will still strike a nerve even years after the distance is bridged again. When you're hundreds of miles from the person you love, life takes on a new perspective and you begin to cherish Skype calls, "Good Morning" texts, and of course, short visits. LDRs aren't easy but if you can stick through it, it is so worth it.

Summer is here again (well, for college-age kids at least) and I've been thinking back to the end of my freshman year two years ago. For the first time in my life, I was dreading summer because I knew Jesse and I were going to be long distance for the 3+ months of summer vacation given to college students. On May 11th we said our goodbyes and I cried for the first hour on the drive home. He visited me in New York every 3 or so weeks and I lived for those visits. The fact that he would get out of work at 5pm, leave straight for my house, arriving at 10 or so at night just to see me for 2 days still amazes me. We made the most of our short visits together catching up, making out, and going on walks. But every night as I would fall asleep in his arms, I would get this lump in my throat as I realized our time together was almost up.

Jesse would leave at 5am on Friday mornings. The night before he left I would try to stay up as late as I could because I knew the moment I closed my eyes and fell asleep, the next time I would open them, Jesse would be leaving. 5am is such a beautiful time of day during the summer with the sun just beginning to rise. The day has so much potential. However, during that summer, I hated 5am. It was the hour that Jesse would get up, pack his things, and start up his Mustang to drive back to New Hampshire. We would say a really tearful goodbye and I would wrap myself in the blankets we just slept in and walk to the front of the house to wave goodbye. As soon as his car was out of my sight I would sit on the porch and cry. After just two short days, I would be alone again, in the lonely silence that 5am brings.

Whether you're currently in or will be in an LDR in the future, here are some things to keep in mind.

• Use technology to your advantage. We live in a world that has Facetime, Skype, texting, and every kind of social media available so use it! Skype every night. Text in the morning. Whatever works! 
• Handwritten letters are super romantic and they are a great keepsake. I channeled my inner Noah Calhoun and wrote Jesse a letter every single day that summer and man, are they fun to reread. They're repetitive and kinda cheesy but they are always reassuring to read.
• Once you've been in an LDR, you'll never take that person for granted ever again. Every time I'm annoyed at Jesse I always think back to that summer and it just puts everything into perspective.
• We all do crazy things when we're in love. Example #1: Jesse drove hundreds of miles to visit me during that summer. Example #2: After that summer, we promised to never be apart again and look at me know! I live in New Hampshire!
• Countdowns will become your life. After I stopped crying after Jesse left, I would start a new countdown until he visited again. There's something about watching time pass that makes LDRs a little easier...either that or I was just really bored without Jesse.
• If you want it to work, it will work. LDRs take effort to maintain but if both parties put in that effort, you guys will make it. I promise.
• LDRs are romantic...in retrospect. While I would never want to go back to that summer (for multiple reasons - hello summer of surgery), I have great memories of those months that I'll carry with me forever.
• There will be tears. Lots of tears.
• You might have a breakthrough in your thinking. It was during my long distance summer that I truly fell in love with Jesse and realized that he is The One.

During that summer I found a great quote that helped ease the pain of a fresh goodbye:

"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."                                                                                                                    -Winnie the Pooh

Saying goodbye to the person you love never gets easier but I am so fortunate to have found someone like Jesse. I still get choked up when I stop and think about how Jesse would drive to see me every few weeks because he wanted to see me. If the person you're with is willing to go the distance, you'll make it through the summer, year, or week of long distance love. If it's true love, no distance is too great.

April 2015 Happenings

#NotAnotherUpdatePost #JK

Hiii everyone! April has been insane! I have been so busy with work, school, my ferret (that happened), and life that April has felt like 2 days as opposed to 24. So let's cut to the chase - here's what has been going on!

1. I got a ferret! Well, Jesse and I got a ferret so we're now ferrents LOL DO YOU GET IT?! I thought I made that word up but apparently it is used frequently on various ferret message boards (those are a thing). His name is Gizmo (although I tend to call him Baby G, Littlest, or Gizzy) and he is such a love! He is 12 weeks old and he is full of energy. I honestly didn't think he was going to be that much work but he gets into/steals everything he gets his tiny hands on so life with Baby G is constantly chasing him around trying to get your sock/highlighter/water bottle back.

SO IN LOVE

2. THERE IS ONE I REPEAT ONE WEEK OF CLASSES LEFT OF THE SEMESTER PRAISE THE LORD ALMIGHTY HALLELUJAH!!!!!!! I have two days of classes left (Tuesday and Thursday), one final paper, three final exams until summer vacation. Even though I'll be working all summer it's going to be SO nice to not worry about deadlines, projects, papers, etc. This semester went by so quickly and at the end of this week, I'M OFFICIALLY A SENIOR! #TimeFliesWhenYou'reHavingFun #IMeanWorking

3. I got a placement for my internship next fall and I am so excited!!!! I'll be working at an afterschool program as a program leader and I get to work with middle schoolers YAY! I get to plan curriculum and take them on fun trips which sounds like so much fun! I'm already planning out curriculum and things to do with them! #IsItFallYet?!

I think that's it for the moment! I better get back to the paper that I'm procrastinating on...This blog was made possible thanks to procrastination and viewers like you. Thank you. (Little PBS reference for your enjoyment ;)) 

Talk to you guys laterrrrr!

P.S. I have 5 blog post outlines sitting in my drafts that I'm hoping I'll be able to write within the next couple weeks! The content is really fun so I hope you enjoy them when I finally get around to writing and posting them!

Can't Stop...April 2015

Can't stop wearing...my new Tommy Hilfiger rain boots!

Two words: melting snow

Can't stop eating...croissants!

Especially toasted with butter!!

Can't stop drinking...Dunkin Donuts Iced Tea (5 granulated sugars, 2 lemons)

Legit. Not because I work for them either. Buuut the fact that any size is only 99 cents doesn't hurt! ;)

Can't stop listening to...Outside by Calvin Harris feat. Ellie Goulding

Song of the summer perhaps?

Beauty product I cant stop using...Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturizer 

Perfect skin hydration annnd acne cream all in one!

Can't stop reading...Dick for a Day

Strange. Thought provoking. Funny. (Not my favorite, but an interesting read nonetheless!)

Can't stop watching...Friends

Thanks Netflix ;)

Can't stop hating...tailgaters

Sorry not sorry for going the speed limit!

Can't stop loving...the fact that the semester ends NEXT MONTH!!!!!!!!

I will be this guy. Only, I won't actually be a guy lololol

What can't you stop this month? Let me know!

#cantstopwontstop

Let's Talk Birth Control!!!

Part of being a sexually active individual is ensuring that you engage in healthy, safe sex. This means something different for everyone. Maybe you're on the Pill, maybe you have an IUD, maybe you do a voodoo chant to keep the sperm and the egg from meeting (although I would highly discourage that last one...). The method you choose is up to you! Allow me to introduce you to some of the methods out there. Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor and all information listed below is my opinion.

Let's start with the obvious...abstinence. As I'm sure you learned in health or biology class, abstinence is the only 100% effective method of birth control. There are others I'll describe below that are pretty darn close to 100% effective but even methods that are 99% effective still have room for error. Let's put it this way, if you're not having sex, you absolutely cannot get pregnant because it takes two to make a third!

Probably the most common method is the condom. The great thing about condoms is that you can pretty much get them anywhere and if you're a college student, they're basically thrown at you from RAs and people from health services. Condoms come is every color, texture, and flavor (yes, flavor) you could imagine so there's really no reason not to like them! They also make a female

Ooooh! Pretty colors!

condom which is basically a plastic bag that you stick in your vagina. They really aren't very effective so you shouldn't be relying solely on a female condom. I have no idea if stores carry them because they really aren't a crowd favorite. I'm sure you can find them on Amazon because Amazon literally sells everything under the sun.

The patch is exactly what it sounds like. Basically, you stick it to your skin and your skin will absorb hormones into your bloodstream that stop ovulation and make your uterus uninhabitable for sperm. You can pretty much stick the patch anywhere although I think most people put it on their butt or someplace that's usually hidden. It has the same color as a bandaid but despite this, it's pretty visible if you have it on, say, your arm.

The Pill is a female favorite. Personally, hormonal birth control freaks me out so I've opted out of anything that changes my body from doin' it's natural thang. There are a lot of different types of pills that involve different hormones so I suggest talking to your doctor to see what's right for you. The Pill can be tricky for some women because you have to remember to take it at the same time each day. Take extra precautions if you forget to take it one day or accidentally skip a few days as this can potentially cause a pregnancy if unprotected sex occurs during the same time. The Pill also clears acne and improve period cramps so if you're looking to kill two birds with one stone, this method would be a good choice for you!

Some women prefer to get the Depo-Provera shot which is a injection you have to go to the doctor's for every three months. I mean, if going to the doctor often to get a needle in your arm is your thing, go for it! The injection contains hormones which prevent ovulation and creates thick cervical mucus that sperm cannot get through. Yum.

The sponge looks like a mini inner tube that you would see at a water park. It covers your cervix and constantly releases spermicide which prevents sperm from moving. I'm not gonna lie, the sponge seems pretty freakin' weird but I guess to each her own, right?!

The NuvaRing is a tiny ring that you insert into your vagina. It constantly releases hormones that once again, prevent ovulation and thicken that cervical mucus. Hope you've eaten lunch already.

Both the cervical cap and diaphragm cover your cervix. I'm sure you can't feel anything once it's inserted correctly but both look really intimidating.

"Hey, I'm not so scary!"

An intrauterine device (IUD) is a tiny little T-shaped plastic thing that is inserted into your uterus. This can only be done by a doctor. This method is non-hormonal and super effective! You also can have the same IUD for multiple years, too, which is great if you don't wanna ever really thing about birth control! I've heard that this can cause heavier periods and cramping though...

There next two methods I would advise against. The first is the "au naturale" family planning method. This can be done a number of ways. Some women track their cycles, abstaining from sex on "risk days" while some women observe their vaginal discharge (I'm sorry, WHAT?!) on a daily basis avoiding days that the mucus is sticky...? It seems pretty friggin' weird but some women swear by it. Another disadvantage in this method (besides constantly feeling your discharge) is the fact that you have to specifically avoid having sex for a few days out of the month and that's no fun.

Whatever you do, please don't rely on the pull out method. Some guys believe that they can pull penis out in time before they ejaculate and if that isn't risky enough, precum can actually contain sperm which means even if the guy does pull out in time, you could still get pregnant and that's no fun (unless you're ready to have a kid of course)!

Now I want to hear what you guys think! What methods do you use? Why do you like your method? Let me know in the comments or by sending me an email at septatesisters@yahoo.com!

Push Play: Spring Playlist

Happy Saturday everyone! I thought I'd do something a little different today. It's finally spring and I've decided to celebrate by putting together a playlist! The best part is I made a YouTube playlist of all the songs so all you have to do is click here and listen :) Happy listening!